Chiropractic

Chiropractic Basics

Chiropractic is a natural, noninvasive method of health care with the proven ability to help with all types of conditions. For over a century, doctors of chiropractic have successfully helped individuals recover from many different types of health problems. As a result, chiropractic has earned its place as the largest drugless and non-surgical healthcare profession in the United States.

How does Chiropractic work?

A Subluxation is a bone sliding out of place and pressing on the spinal cord and or nerves that come off the spinal cord. When this occurs, it affects the patient’s whole nervous system. The nervous system is how the brain controls and regulates the trillions of cells that make up our body. If we have a problem in our nervous system it could show up as any number of symptoms. If the nerve to your arm was cut, you would immediately lose feeling and control of your arm. If the nerve to your heart was cut, it would immediately stop beating. But what if the nerve that went to your lungs was squeezed? It wasn’t completely cut but it was choked so not all of the neurons could send the message from the brain to your lungs. What do you think might happen? Could you have difficulty breathing? Could you have asthma like symptoms? The answer is a resounding “yes!” Would nerve interference or subluxation be the cause of this problem? Yes, subluxations can cause a wide variety of symptoms.

Chiropractic was originally thought to be a cure for deafness. The very first patient had his hearing restored after his first adjustment. So the founder of Chiropractic Dr. Palmer advertised that he had a cure for deafness (there have only been a few documented cases of hearing returning from an adjustment). Deaf people came from all around to be cured and their hearing did not improve but a lot of their other symptoms improved. Their headaches, their digestive issues, their neck and back pain all improved. Dr Palmer realized that while he did not have the cure for deafness, he had something special.

Chiropractic works by removing nerve interference, ie removing the subluxation. When you remove nerve interference the brain can better communicate and coordinate all the complex functions of the body. The closer a body is to functioning at 100% the less symptoms a patient will have. A symptom is just a message from the body that something is wrong. As Americans we are very conditioned from watching years of television to think, “take a pill to cure our symptoms”. Every third commercial is a commercial for a pill to treat a symptom. The symptom is not the problem what is causing the symptom is the problem. We want to treat the cause of your problem so we can be truly healthy.

Can Chiropractic Help Me?

There are thousands of studies showing the beneficial effects that Chiropractic care can have on all types of symptoms. But in reality Chiropractic does not treat symptoms, it just restores the spine to its normal natural position. When you restore the spine to its correct position it removes nerve pressure which allows the body to function better. A body that is functioning better has less symptoms of dysfunction. Symptoms are just a message from the body to you that something is wrong. You need to find the root cause of the symptom, and not just take a pill and mask the symptom. Chiropractic can help treat the cause of your symptom.

What is an “adjustment”?

The term “adjustment” describes a chiropractic treatment. The doctor of chiropractic, either manually or with a specialized instrument, moves the bone or bones back to its proper position..

Does this happen all of a sudden, or does it take a long time to develop a Subluxation?

Both. All of a sudden in the case of a car accident or fall. Or slowly from years of poor posture, poor nutrition, and prolonged mental/emotional stress.

Does a subluxation in one part of the spine affect another part of the spine?

Yes. The vertebrae of the spinal column function as a unit. When one section of the spinal column suffers a subluxation, the effect will usually be felt in other sections of the spinal column as well.

Is chiropractic safe?

Yes. Its non-surgical, drug-free approach to health care which places chiropractic among the safest of all health care professions. Chiropractic takes nothing out of the body and puts nothing in it. As a result, chiropractors enjoy one of the lowest malpractice rates of all health care professionals.

What can I expect on my first visit?

Your initial visit will begin with a consultation. Your doctor will take a case history and ask about your present condition. Next, the doctor will perform a full orthopedic, physical, neurological, and chiropractic examination to evaluate the nature of this problem. This examination generally includes a series of basic physical tests, as well as specialized chiropractic evaluations of spinal movement, posture, and muscle strength. If indicated, your doctor may recommend x-rays or diagnostic tests to obtain further information about the mechanics of your spine and the details of your condition. After completing the analysis, your doctor will explain your problem to you and map out an appropriate plan of action with you. If necessary, you may be referred to another health care specialist for further evaluation and treatment. Doctors of Chiropractic work with a variety of health care professionals in the best interest of their patients. Your doctor will discuss your care plan with you, taking into consideration your health habits, stress, and activity levels. Over the course of your care, your doctor will monitor your individual response and may also recommend changes to your lifestyle, work environment, dietary, and exercise patterns.